TheOutsanityShoppe

That she spent formative years getting the brunt of the foster system, lived on the streets, got taken in by a well-meaning but flawed master thief and taught how to make her own way in the world.

That she learned very few social skills along the way, but is completely capable of and willing to learn them if given the correct situations and motivation. And is more than able to form strong, positive bonds with people how are willing to meet her where she is (and like, Parker/Hardison FOREVER, but also the episode where Elliot's posing as a chef and his and Parker's friendship is given a moment to shine).

That she's got lingering issues from her rough past that talking about with a therapist can help with, and which can help her understand, empathize with, and aid other people or kids who are in bad situations like the ones she went through.

She's not weird and quirky and goofy because she's autistic, she's weird and quirky and goofy because she has been through so much, with so little outside help, and this is how she became at least in part to deal with it all.

And no one tries to 'fix her' over the course of the series, she's just given a chance to learn some new skill sets while the rest of the cast simultaneously is given the chance to get to know her as a person.

I love how, in the first episode, Nate's reaction to the first mention of Parker being on the team is, "Parker's insane," and in the last episode she is the one he believes to be most capable of succeeding him as the head of Leverage.

wow, check out this fucked up thing that's legal in the us

Parker is insane

Parker is a world-famous thief—the Parker

No one really knows what she looks like, who she works for, or even that she is a she.

So may I suggest "The 101 Parkers Job":

Slowly collecting my favorite descriptions of Leverage x

Because a lot of times, revenge gets framed as this inherently immoral act, like it doesn't matter how evil the person you want revenge on is, it doesn't matter that stopping them is a net positive for the world, revenge is just bad and wanting it makes you bad.

But I think that a lot of the problems with most revenge narratives come from the fact that the person/people seeking revenge put too much importance on getting revenge, but there's not enough catharsis in the actual act of taking revenge. They end up left with a whole lot of left-over righteous anger, and no acceptable targets left to vent it on. That way lies the bloodline ending feuds of greek tragedy and the like.

But Leverage says "No, actually you're right, that guy is absolutely terrible, he does need to be stopped and his victims should be awarded the catharsis of revenge." But then, instead of taking the easy way out of having Hardison siphon all the money out of their accounts, or sending Elliot over to their house with a baseball bat, they complicate the revenge plot. Instead of walking the easier path of the quick and unsatisfying revenge, they insist on poetic justice and dramatic irony and the complete and utter, very public destruction of the worst people in the world.

Just gonna dump here some of the initial designs.

Also istg i ended uo making the aroace flag THAT WAS UNINTENTIONAL